Stand-up sparring drills

I'd like to hear some of your favorite sparring drills that you think really help in upping your stand-up striking game.

I know total free sparring works, but are there any specific drills that you've really benefited from?

Couple of my own personal examples:

The Blitz
Take turns as attacker and defender. The attacker practices the onslaught, or the blitz, while the defender works on blocking, dodging, and evading. The blitz is simply going full force in throwing multiple strikes/kicks and not letting up. This is good doing about a 5-10 second interval for each person, then switching attacker/defender.

You learn a lot from this, but I think the biggest understanding comes from the fact that it's best to be the attacker and not the defender. In other words, if you get into a fight, go balls to the wall.

Foot vs. Fist
One person only uses hands, while the other only uses kicks. Switch it periodically.

Again, you learn a lot about ranges and footwork. Using kicks to keep your opponent at bay; coming in fast and staying close when using hand strikes.

I've used the Foot vs Fist before, but never tried the Blitz (are my students going to hate you!).

A couple of others are

No Blocking - using slips, footwork, and evasion only to avoid getting get hit while still getting your own shots in.

One Hand Behind the Back - not using your dominant side at all - again, works evasion and footwork really well, as well as putting a little balance into someone's fighting style.

Linear Movement Only - "you've been attacked in a parking lot and only have the space between two cars to fight in" . Besides curing those overly evasive people, it's a great chance to integrate some basic traps and locks into sparring.

Limiting movement is always a good way to reveal deficiencies. Put one person against the wall during blitz, or like kitterykenshin said limit lateral movement. One thing I used to do was to not use orthodox techniques, but attack like some idiot drunkard. You'd be surprised how thrown off you get when some moron starts throwing wild swings at you, when you have been training against good technique for so long.

"The blitz is simply going full force in throwing multiple strikes/kicks and not letting up."

You can't seriously be recommending full force strikes during that Blitz drill right?

That is about the fastest way to injure training partners I have ever heard of. I've done this drill before but whenever you limit someone that heavily (the defender) you can't let the other guy throw bombs.

"The blitz is simply going full force in throwing multiple strikes/kicks and not letting up."

You can't seriously be recommending full force strikes during that Blitz drill right?

That is about the fastest way to injure training partners I have ever heard of. I've done this drill before but whenever you limit someone that heavily (the defender) you can't let the other guy throw bombs.

Well there is very little time in ANY sparring where we go 100% force... so allow me to rephrase and say not "Full" force, but a good amount of force. :icon_blac

Obviously the amount of force and intensity depends on the attacker and defender, with their skill and overall ability to dish out and take punishment.

But...you have to keep it 'hard' in order to get the true reaction and penetration, etc.

If it was just 10% force, it becomes slappy and too unrealistic, and the target doesn't react the way he/she should with penetrating attacks.

Thank you for pointing that out Whiteshark. :)

*edit* Also, the amount of time of the blitz changes depending on the skill level as well.

Limit the tools- just jabs
then teach them how to parry the jab and counter to make it a little more strategic.

One person gets straight punches only, the other hooks and uppercuts only. Switch. You'll learn that you need to set things up with straights in order to get inside, and once inside you need to use round punches to defend and attack.

One person can strike (has gloves), the other person no gloves and goes in for a body lock/liftoff and reset. Remind them that the key here is to wait for the gloved attacker to commit, and as they move in they do the grappler's job for them, they simply change elevation and move in as well and you have the body lock.

I've done the linear type defense before... but made it work on circling. It seems most people have a natural reaction to fight on rails, and you need to teach them to circle instead of go straight back.

We actually worked on that last night.

I also tried the one handed defense drill with the 7-10 year old class and it worked well. I actually set it up first by trying a new drill...

Protect the Hanky (or Flag)
I tucked a hanky inside the front of one students belt. That student had to protect it; not by holding it, but by blocking. The attacking student simply had to attempt to grab it. Once they did it from the front a few times, I moved the hanky to the side.

This is when they (the students) saw what needed to be done. Before they had been fighting, or trying to protect the hanky in a front stance. It was very hard to protect. When it was on the side, I saw them all switch to a side stance, with the hanky side being the farthest from the opponent. Most were able to protect it.

That's when I moved into the sparring with a one-handed defense. Some started again trying to defend in a front stance, but soon they learned it was easier in a side stance.

Feedback - I actually worked on the body-lift last night.... well, we call it working on sprawling. I do like the idea of having the defender use gloves, and not only work on sprawling, but work on striking as they come in as well. The defender can put on some headgear.

I'm a big fan of rounds where you just use the jab. Not only does it help to develope the jab as an offensive/defensive weapon it can also help people get comfortable when they first start sparring. I was fairly worried the first time I sparred until a 'just jab' round was suggested and helped me loosen up and get past that natural reaction of, you know, not wanting to get hit in the face.

"The blitz is simply going full force in throwing multiple strikes/kicks and not letting up."

Part of the exam to attain our teachers level 2 chinese kickboxing certificate, is to survive a 3 minute round, only blocking and evading...against an instructor, or one of the senior students...no clinches, no strikes or throws, just blocking, and dodging....and then spar afterward for a round or two depending. (this is in addition to doing all the combos/drills without flaw beforehand).

It's not full contact...but more than medium...full contact wouldn't make any sense for most people's lives...or health...in five seconds, someone can get dropped...I've done it, and had my bell rung too....The test is a f-ed up kind of tough thing, but all of the students who've passed it (I'm not one of them) have proven their ability to stay safe, and avoid injury...among other things. To go past the Level 1 training, we have to prove our ability and toughness...then it's safe for them to train us in a more grueling manner.

(note: I do get to sit in on some of the level 2 classes, I wasn't allowed to test up, because of time commitment issues, as much as anything else..there's some sort of Murphey's law about band rehearsals and class schedules, I'm sure of it):eusa_whis

EDIT: 2 rounds of hands only, 2 rounds of hands and feet, 2 rounds of hands/feet/catch and counter, and a couple more rounds of all of the above with throws....often this is how our sparring class is structured...it's always roughly along these lines (they have the students train on pads first, and stretch, and jog etc...)

The sparring class, when I can make it, is worth 10 regular sessions in real fighting ability and experience...some of those guys/gals in there are waaaay tougher than me, and I really catch it. Makes everyone who's not superb seem kinda easy...I guess that's the point.